@GodsGrace
Every child of God should despise Catholicism, it is the biggest whore in Mystery Babylon without a question. I have no love for that false cult ~ no more than Elijah did for the false prophets of Baal ~ maybe you need to read 1st Kings 18. Was Elijah's hatred for the Baal worshippers truly amazing in your eyes, I'm sure it was.
It's unfortunate that you despise the original church that has allowed you to be on this very forum today.
I believe you've missed a verse:
John 13:35
35 "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
I have some bad news for you RB.
CALVINISM is a cult.
Invented by a men such as John Calvin.
Cults are invented BY MEN.
§The CC, instead, is the original church which was spread by Peter, Paul, and whose faith was taught by all the early theologians....
From which John Calvin and his group,,,departed 1,500 years AFTER Jesus was resurrected....
AFTER the Apostels taught the Christian faith,
and which was taught continuously and up to this very day.
Except, of course, for the Calvinists. of which you are one.
I know well what Calvinism teaches on that subject, but we do not.
A rose by any other name is still a rose.
YOU teach Calvinism...
a heresy.
And blasphemous also...and I'll show it by scripture for the 100th time.
Again, what you think you know, and what truly is the truth are not even close. You cannot speak for me, concerning what I believe and understand.
Of course I can speak for you.
You're on an open forum and I can read what you post.
You post what the reformed/calvinist theology teaches.
Which is NOT mainline Christianity.
So, the truth is this...it is folks like you who truly cannot know if they are saved until they take their last breath! Pitiful. Eternal life was secured for God's elect by their surety...Jesus Christ, not by what we can or cannot do! God's elect have been IN Christ from the foundation of the world and our life is NOW hid WITH CHRIST in God! Scriptures provided already above. Colossians 3.
Unfortunately, JESUS does not agree with you.
We must learn to adhere to ALL of Jesus' teachings...not just pick out some verses that we like.
HERE is what Jesus taught as to being saved and as to good works, which many seem to abhor:
John 15:1-2
1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.
I understand that this is an uncomfortable teaching,,,
but it IS JESUS who is teaching it.
I would tend to obey Jesus and adhere to HIS teachings...
not those of John Calvin.
Your gospel is well defined by your own words! It is a gospel of works......."we"
Read John 15:1-2 again.
Remember that I'm quoting JESUS,,,
not myself.
Galatians 2:21
“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.”
By the law is defined as any work that man have an active part in! In gospel it is ALL man.
NO. RB.
By THE LAW
means
By The Law.
You know...the mosaic Law.
Works of The Law.
Read Romans again, specially chapter 2...it might be helpful.
Romans 2:5-8
5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:
7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;
8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.
Let's see what Paul has to say about WORKS...which you seem to believe are an evil.
1. We store up wrath FOR OURSELVES...no talk of God decreeing anything.
2. Paul is speaking about the righteous judgment of God.
3. God will render to each person ACCORDING TO THEIR DEEDS.
4. Those who persevered, till the end of their life, in doing good....eternal life.
5. Those who did NOT OBEY wrath and indignation.
Not my words...but Paul's.
What should we do with Revelation 17? Cut out of our bibles? Just because Rome is in your backdoor does not mean that it is not your duty as a Christian to not expose their lies and corruption.
I owe nothing to Rome, and truly if God destroys it today, I would lose nothing.. Read Foxe's Book of Martyrs, the RCC killed our forefathers. The Pharisees of the NT were more righteous than RCC.
Selective.
Read about the martyrs that died so you could be on this forum.
They were Catholic.
John Calvin had not been born yet in the first century.
But, yes, let's see who did the most evil.
Great way to understand scripture.
It seem to me that it's YOU who are cutting out scripture you don't care for.
You even cut out what JESUS teaches.
She is a whore, period. The man of sin sits and rules therein! Of course he is one of many, nevertheless, I agree with John in Revelation 17.
Really, then you should never again sing Amazing Grace by John Newton a Calvinist...and many more I could name. You said I hated RCC religion and I DO, yet your hatred for Calvinism is greater, even in the light of so many godly folks that has taught Calvinism. Do you sing Rock Ages? There is a fountain filled with Blood? All written by men who believed in the doctrine of grace, and more could be added.
RB....
Calvinism makes a mockery of Christianity and GOD Himself.
It attributes evil to God in whom there is NO DARKNESS...as John the Apostle stated.
It attributes to §God evil, which is by satan's work, thus blaspheming God.
The CC does none of this.
You are blinded by your hated of a denomination that has the RIGHT to teach what it believes....
just as every denomination does.
And, I do hope you understand that Augustine, Calvin's hero,
was CATHOLIC....and a gnostic to boot.
Explain what is mortal sin, if you keep talking you will reveal your true colors, RCC! Which I had already expected.
Easy peasy RB .
I'm happy to explain.
Mortal sin is when you are cut off from the vine.
See John 15:1-2 again.
JESUS explains it.
John 15:1-2
1 "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.
2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.